UTV of the Month – February 2013
Engine swaps have long been one of the most ambitious ways to build a faster side-by-side, but few conversions have looked as clean or as well integrated as Greg Biffle’s Z1-powered Arctic Cat Wildcat.
Built by Greg Biffle Enterprises, this 2012 Wildcat traded its original engine for a factory turbocharged Arctic Cat Z1 four-stroke EFI engine sourced from a Sno Pro snowmobile. The installation is so clean that, at first glance, it could easily be mistaken for a factory-built prototype.
177 Horsepower in a Stock-Wheelbase Wildcat
The turbocharged Z1 engine was rated at an impressive 177 horsepower and 121 lb-ft of torque in factory form. That was a massive increase in performance for a 2012 sport UTV and transformed the Wildcat into a serious dune machine.
Getting that power into the Wildcat required considerably more than simply fitting a different engine between the frame rails. The Z1 was connected to Polaris RZR XP front and rear differentials, while the lower rear section of the chassis was completely rebuilt to accommodate the conversion.
Despite the extensive fabrication, the Wildcat retained its original wheelbase. Its suspension also remained stock, preserving the long-travel setup that helped distinguish the first-generation Arctic Cat Wildcat from other sport side-by-sides of its era.
The finished conversion combined the Wildcat’s impressive suspension capability with nearly 180 horsepower, creating a uniquely powerful machine built to attack the dunes.
Greg Biffle’s Arctic Cat Wildcat Build Specifications
- 2012 Arctic Cat Wildcat
- Turbocharged Arctic Cat Z1 four-stroke EFI engine
- 177 horsepower
- 121 lb-ft of torque
- Engine conversion by Greg Biffle Enterprises
- Custom lower rear chassis section
- Stock Wildcat wheelbase
- Stock Wildcat suspension
- Polaris RZR XP front and rear differentials
- STM Powersports billet clutch
- Twisted Stitch seats
- UTV Inc. harnesses
- UTV Inc. billet shifter
- DWT Sector beadlock wheels
- STU sand tires
- Wolf Designs custom graphics wrap
More Photos
More Arctic Cat Wildcat Resources
- Arctic Cat Wildcat overview and specifications
- Arctic Cat Wildcat review
- Turbo Arctic Cat Wildcat dune build
- UTV of the Month archive
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Title: Greg Biffle’s 177-HP Z1-Powered Arctic Cat Wildcat
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Meta description: Greg Biffle Enterprises transformed a 2012 Arctic Cat Wildcat with a turbocharged Z1 engine producing 177 horsepower and 121 lb-ft of torque.
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Excerpt: Greg Biffle Enterprises installed a 177-horsepower turbocharged Arctic Cat Z1 snowmobile engine in this stock-wheelbase Wildcat, creating one remarkably clean dune machine.
